


A Christmas Love Story

by taeminyourmind



Category: K-pop, Lee Taemin - Fandom, SHINee, Taemin - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, K-Pop - Freeform, K-pop References, Romance, SHINee - Freeform, SHINee Taemin - Freeform, Slow Romance, Strangers to Lovers, lee taemin - Freeform, taemin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeminyourmind/pseuds/taeminyourmind
Summary: 'A Christmas Love Story' is a set of 8 short love-filled stories that follow you and Taemin’s relationship through the years during Christmastime (2013-2020).Series will run from Dec. 1st to Dec. 25th with two updates each week ^^
Relationships: Lee Taemin/Reader, Lee Taemin/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Snowmen & Hot Chocolate (2013) ❄

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tenelkadjo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenelkadjo/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months after losing your father, you keep your promise and attend your town’s annual Christmas Winter Wonderland where you’re paired with an excited Taemin for the snowman making competition.

##  **2013**

Freshly fallen snow coats the ground, blanketing every surface with white. The frigid wind blows some snow from the rooftops, sending them to the ground as if they are descending from the sky. You gaze up at them and watch as they gracefully fall to the ground to join the others.

The bright white string lights placed around the park reflect off the snow and give the illusion of diamonds shimmering. You walk towards the brightly lit banner that welcomes everyone to the town’s festivities. Snow softly crunches with each step, building your excitement for the event you’ve been looking forward to all year, though this year will be different.

Fond memories of coming to the annual festival with your father flood your mind, making you slightly smile. Your glove-covered fingers wrap around the ends of the multi-colored knitted scarf around your neck, the last thing your father made before his passing. He always told you, while knitting it with his thin framed glass on the end of his nose, that it was something to keep you warm and remember him by. He made you promise that rather than crying about his absence, to enjoy life and the things you got to do together. To be here without your father for the first time is bittersweet.

It’s impossible to not become a little sad during the holidays, especially when you lose a loved one. But the feeling of joy crashes into you when you step beyond the banner - carolers dressed in red and green attire hold their songbooks and melodiously belt out Christmas songs in the brightly lit gazebo, children’s laughter can be heard from every corner of the park as they race to a small hill with sleds and tubes in their hands, the aroma of baked goods and hot chocolate warms the body as the wind spreads its scents, and the gorgeous sight of bright white lights snaking up trees and festive tents work together to make this place a Winter Wonderland.

“___?” A man with a clipboard asks. You jump a little at his sudden presence and quickly nod. “You’ll be partnered with,” he pauses to look at the clipboard. “Taemin for the snowman making competition.”

You look behind the man to see a young man warmly dressed, huffing into the air to see the steam from his mouth. The sound of the man clearing his throat grabs his attention; his cheeks, already a pinkish hue from the temperature, deepens in color.

“Right,” the man says and hands you a basket. “These are the materials. Just find a spot and wait for the whistle.”

Just as quickly as he arrived, the man quickly vanishes and to the next pair. You and Taemin share a friendly smile, standing still in silence. Taemin lightly kicks the snow in multiple places before he turns to you.

“I already scouted this place out,” he says and tilts his head to an area across from you. “And the best snow to build in is over there.”

“Isn’t that cheating?”

“I like to call it scouting out the competition,” he smiles and reaches out to grab your hand. “Let’s go before someone steals it.”

Before you can say anything, your body is jolted forward as Taemin leads you to the area he’s secretly picked. His hand tightens around yours and pulls you closer as he tells you to not get lost among the crowd. When you reach the spot, a whistle sounds and joyful cheer and chatter begins amongst those in the competition.

“How should we do this?” Taemin asks, letting go of your hand and facing you.

“I’m good at doing the bottom.”

Taemin smiles and nods. “That’s great! I’m good at the middle and head.”

“Let’s get started!”

Immediately, you and Taemin drop to the ground and gather snow to make the snowman. You work busily and quickly to pack snow together for the bottom with Taemin glancing over every now and then to align the shape of the middle and top with the bottom. Around you, people chat away and laugh while some take a bold step to playfully throw snow at each other. Every now and then you feel the urge to make small conversation with Taemin but swallow it back, too shy to talk. Instead, you heavily concentrate on helping the young man place the middle and top of the snowman on top of the bottom.

“I think it looks good,” Taemin says with a smile as you both step back to examine the construction. “Now it just needs decorations.”

The snow makes a soft crunch sound when you and Taemin kneel beside the basket the man with the clipboard had given you. You and Taemin reach in at the same time, your hands brushing against one another before you both pull away quickly. He gives you a soft smile as his cheeks, once again, grow deeper in color before shyly looking away. The longer you gaze at him, the warmer you feel your cheeks become as you can’t find it in you to turn away from him.

“You go first,” you softly say and motion to the basket.

Taemin takes a moment and looks at you with gentle eyes that have a sparkle in them from the bright lights. A small smile spreads across his face as he doesn’t protest and reaches in to grab a snowflake patterned scarf. You reach in next and hold up a crooked carrot.

“Aha!” Taemin exclaims with a wide smile. “You got a crooked carrot!”

Your eyebrows furrow as you look from the carrot to him. “What’s so special about it?”

“My grandmother always told me that if you find a crooked carrot, it means that you will find true love.”

You look back to the carrot and examine it while Taemin watches on with wide eyes of excitement. A soft smile appears on your face as you turn back towards him.

“My father hated making snowmen with the perfect carrot nose. He said it doesn’t give them character.”

You cautiously stand to your feet and hold your hand out to Taemin, who takes it and pulls himself to his feet with your help. Together, you decorate the snowman and give him as much personality as you can with the materials gives. After Taemin wraps the scarf on the head, you step back and proudly look over your creation - a pirate snowman equipped with an eyepatch, a hook-like arm, scarf around the head, small sticks as a beard, and angry eyebrows.

“I think ours is the best,” Taemin leans over and whispers. His voice pulls your body towards him as you lean in closer while shivers go down your back.

“I think so too,” you smile and watch the judges begin to make their rounds.

Some time passes as the judges look around and intently examine each snowman. You and Taemin plop to the ground beside each other and find yourselves making an army of smaller snowmen. You’re concentrating on forming a perfect ball when a blast of cold smacks against your face. Your body freezes at the frigid temperature when you slowly turn to Taemin who can’t hide his laugh as he goes back to making his snowmen. A mischievous smile slowly spreads on your face as you crumple the ball you were forming in your hands and reach in front of him and press the snow against his face. You laugh at his small squeal and wailing limbs.

“You think it’s funny?” He asks while placing more snow in his hands. Unable to speak, you nod while uncontrollably laughing.

Taemin’s laughter joins yours as you playfully throw snow on each other, your bodies tense whenever the snow touches your skin. The sound of someone clearing their throat halts you and Taemin’s mini-competition as you look and see the man with the clipboard hovering over the two of you. Immediately, Taemin helps you to your feet and helps each other brush off the remnants of the snow.

“If you two weren’t lollygagging, you would’ve heard us announce you as the winners.”

The man’s statement takes a while to set in before you and Taemin erupt with joy, tightly hugging each other while doing little hops. The warmth of his body makes you tighten your hold on him as he whispers “I told you we would win” in your ear.

“As the winners, enjoy two free hot chocolates free of charge,” the man said, handing you and Taemin each a free voucher. “Merry Christmas.”

“Wait,” Taemin calls out to the man before he has a chance to walk away. “Could you take a picture of us and our snowman?”

The man, who sported a hard exterior, smiles at Taemin and takes his phone. You and Taemin stand on each side of the snowman and smile for the picture and make a funny face at the request of the man. Before Taemin has time to review the photos, you lock your arm with his and pull him towards the hot chocolate stand.

“Someone’s in a hurry for hot chocolate,” he smiles and finds his footing to walk beside you.

“Yup,” you nod with a proud expression. “Lola makes the best hot chocolate and I want to get there before all of the candy canes are gone.”

“Candy canes?”

“You don’t know about the trick, do you?” You ask and watch Taemin shake his head. “Well then, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.”

* * *

“So,” you say as you sit next to Taemin on a bench, watching as he takes a sip from his red holiday cup. “How’s it taste?”

He pauses for a second, his eyes looking upwards as if he’s in deep concentration, and playfully smacks his lips. You playfully nudge him with your shoulder and take a sip from your cup.

“It’s good,” he smiles. “I never thought about putting a candy cane in hot chocolate.”

“Yeah, my father and I used to do it all the time. It’s become a tradition of ours, just like coming here every year and entering the snowman competition.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, I noticed that you talk about your father in the past tense, has he…?”

You slowly nod and give Taemin a soft smile. “Earlier this year. He made me promise to keep our traditions alive and remember our time together rather than spend all my days crying.”

You and Taemin sit in silence for a moment and watch the crowd begin to grow smaller and smaller. Your fingers clutch your warm cup tighter and allow its steam to warm your nose.

“My grandmother died a couple of years ago,” Taemin softly said, breaking the silence. “She was my best friend and I still find myself talking like her and doing the things we did together, like coming here.”

“We’ve both been through some tough times, huh?”

Taemin gives you a soft nod before finishing his drink. Without looking at him, you hand him a napkin and stand to your feet. For a moment, you and Taemin look at each other with warm eyes and a gentle smile.

“I’m afraid I have to go,” you say while looking towards the ground. “Can you send me the pictures we took whenever you get the chance?”

“Of course,” Taemin smiles.

You give him one last smile before turning and walking away, holding your coat tighter against your body as the night grows later. Taemin finds himself watching as you walk away until a thought pops into his mind.

“___?” He yells, causing you to stop and turn towards him. His heart skips a beat when the snow softly falls around you and the bright lights give you an ethereal glow. He finds himself lost in your warm eyes. “How will I send you the pictures?”

You smile at him and point towards the napkin in his hand before turning and walking away. When you disappear from his sight, Taemin curiously opens the napkin to see your handwriting saying: “000-111-2222. To my snowman and hot chocolate partner, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” Unable to control his happiness, he smiles at the napkin and looks back to where he last saw you. For the first time in a while, you and he can feel the joy of the season, all because of a snowman competition and hot chocolate.


	2. Secret Santa (2014) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At your friend’s small holiday gathering, you and Taemin receive meaningful gifts from your secret Santa.

##  **2014**

A howling wind shakes the apartment and blows the freshly fallen snow in its direction. Outside, people tightly clutch their coats closer to their bodies and shield their faces from the wind and try their best to walk against the force. The window you peer out of grows foggier the longer you gaze out it. You trace a heart on the window and watch people flee from the ferocious wind.

“Hey,” a voice calls out while lightly tapping your shoulder. You quickly turn your head and see Taemin with a Santa hat smiling down at you. “We’re starting secret Santa.”

“Yeah,” you smile and wipe away the heart from the window, and stand to your feet. Your fingers wrap around his wrist before gently pulling him. “Let’s go.”

The two of you walk into the living room area where your friends gather around in a circle with a pile of multi-sized presents wrapped in colorful wrapping paper in the middle. The room’s light is dim except for the bright Christmas tree fully decorated in red and green ornaments and topped with a handmade tree topper. The air smells of gingerbread cookies as the heater kicks in, warming the area. The moment you and Taemin walk in, all heads turn towards you.

Oohs and aahs are heard throughout the room making you roll your eyes and take a spot on the floor with Taemin beside you.

“Alright,” your friend Clara says while reaching forward and picking up a present. “Let the annual secret Santa exchange begin!”

Smiles and laughter fill the air as everyone opens their presents, some get wacky gifts and others get thoughtful gifts, but nobody gets upset as it’s all in good fun. A dramatic gasp from your other friend, Jongil, makes the room laugh and you find yourself leaning into Taemin and briefly resting your head on his shoulder until you can control your laughing. Your sudden touch makes Taemin’s cheeks grow warm as he gently lays his head on yours, only moving it when you sit up.

“This one goes to Mrs. Lee,” Jongil says while tossing a small box to you. “And this one goes to Mr. Lee.” He laughs while sliding a box to Taemin.

You and Taemin glance at each other before quickly reverting your attention to the box in your hands. The name “Mrs. Lee” makes you blush as you carefully open the top to reveal the top of a snowglobe. You slowly remove it from the box and notice a small snowman in its center. Turning it upside down, you watch the flakes of snow fall around the figurine, prompting a smile to spread across your face.

Beside you, Taemin carefully unties the ribbon wrapped around his box to find an intricate candy cane ornament on a silver string. His fingers gently move over the surface, feeling each red glitter stripe contrast with the smooth white stripe. A smile pulls on his face as he admires its beauty, twirling it in the light to make the glitter sparkle.

Both you and Taemin turn to one another to show off your gifts but find yourselves gazing into each other’s eyes rather instead. A loud vomiting sound pulls your attention away as your friends pretend to throw up.

“Ugh, you guys make me sick,” Clara says before getting up and walking into the kitchen.

“Well, I think you guys are cute,” Jongil whispers before following behind Clara and disappearing into the kitchen.

Taemin opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it when Jongil speeds away. He gently sets the snowglobe on the table in front of him and finds himself sitting back closer to you, your warmth giving him a sense of comfort. His heart pounds louder when your body moves closer to his in response.

The room grows quieter as your friends move into the kitchen and begin arguing about who would taste the cookie dough. You and Taemin can’t help but laugh at their silliness but stop when you face one another, your faces close enough you can feel each other’s breaths tickle your nose. Your eyes take in the beauty of his face that’s emphasized by the Christmas tree - his soft skin glows, the browns of his eyes appear lighter allowing you access the depths of his soul, and the pinks of his lips look more vibrant. You pull away with a shy smile when his bangs tickle your nose, causing him to softly laugh at you.

“I have something to tell you,” you say.

“I have something to tell you too,” Taemin says, turning his body to face yours.

“You go first.”

“No, no. You go first.”

You cross your arms and slightly squint your eyes at him. “Fine, then we’ll see it together.”

“On 3,” Taemin nods and mimics your actions. “1, 2, 3!”

“I was your secret Santa!” You both say. Both of your eyes go wide at the confession before looking towards the gifts and back at each other.

“I should’ve known,” Taemin says while gesturing towards the ornament. “Who else would get me something snowman related?”

“And who else would have given me a candy cane ornament?”

You give each other a soft smile before leaning in and embracing one another. Your arms gently hold onto his shoulders while he gently wraps his around your waist. The smell of apple spice on his clothes makes you melt more into his arms as its scent warms you. Taemin gives you a quick squeeze and pulls away enough to place a loving kiss on your cheek. His intimate touch causes you to bashfully look away as he reaches out and brushes his fingertips over the top of your hands.

“I told y’all you would be cute together!” Jongil exclaims with a half-bitten gingerbread man cookie in his hand, his smile growing wide.

Jongil’s sudden interruption makes you and Taemin look at each other before turning your attention to him and saying in unison, “Oh, shut up, Jongil!”


	3. A Sleigh Ride Confession (2015) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to Winter Wonderland, Taemin surprises you with a carriage ride where he musters up the courage to confess his love for you.

##  **2015**

“I have a surprise for you,” Taemin singsongs while approaching you from behind.

The sound of Taemin’s voice prompts you to turn away from the snowman you’re building. You’re immediately met with the sweet aroma of hot chocolate as Taemin holds out a holiday-themed cup with a candy cane sticking out of it.

A smile spreads on your face as you take it from his hands and take a sip, closing your eyes as the chocolate coats your tongue. You hum as the warmth slides from your throat to your chest, warming your body. Taemin glances at you from over the rim of his cup and takes delight in your satisfied expression.  
“It’s good?” He smiles with a bit of whip cream on his nose.

Taemin’s eyebrows furrow when you almost spit out your drink from laughing. You manage to calm yourself before stepping closer and reaching up to gently wipe the cream from the tip of his nose, revealing its pinkish hue. He gives you an embarrassed smile when you stand on your toes and press a soft kiss where the whipped cream was. The scent of hot chocolate on your breath melts his insides as he wraps his arms around your waist, lifting you in the air and twirling you before setting you on the ground.

“I have another surprise for you,” Taemin smiles while zipping your coat up more.

“You’re spoiling me,” you smile before finishing your drink.

Taemin takes your hand in his, his fingers loosely entwining with yours, as you gently pull you closer to him. The scent of the apple cider on his clothes brings you close enough to his body for you to rest your head against his upper arm. A gentle kiss pressed against the top of your head causes you to smile and tighten your hand around his.

The blanket of white snow, bright lights, and cheerful chatter and laughs brings a smile to your and Taemin’s face as you remember your first meeting two years earlier. You can say that you have a pirate snowman and hot chocolate with a candy cane to thank for helping you find a good friend - a friend that you spent a majority of the days with, a friend that’s given you love in every love language, a friend that you can’t imagine a life without. Through the warmth of his touch, the gentleness of his words, and the kindness of his mind, you found yourself developing deeper feelings for your friend. And in his own ways, he began showing his budding feelings for you that involved attempts to cook your favorite meals to serenading you with ballads.

Snow gently falls from the clear sky. In true Taemin fashion, he leans his head back and sticks out his tongue to catch some snowflakes in his mouth. You can’t help but giggle at his silliness before joining him in the fun.

Your journey comes to an end when Taemin lets go of your hand and opens his arms wide. In front of you stands a horse-drawn sleigh with Shire horses dressed in red reigns with gold bells. Your face lights up at the sight before turning to Taemin.

“Are you serious?” You excitedly ask while doing a little hop.

“Your chariot awaits, m’lady,” he smiles and helps you onto the sleigh. Climbing in and settling beside you, he places a blanket over the two of you.

With a soft jerk, the sleigh begins to move at the coachman’s command. Your hand, protected from the cold under the blanket, searches for his while you stare around in awe. Brightly lit trees with snow covering the branches on both sides of the road illuminate the path ahead. The soft jingle of sleigh bells mixes with the crunching of snow under the horses’ hooves to create a nostalgic holiday sound. 

Beside you, Taemin lightly hums a Christmas tune while admiring the trees overhead that allows some snow to gently fall over the sleigh. The small touch of your hand brushing against his thigh makes a swarm of butterflies to unleash their endless flutters in his stomach. His cheeks grow warmer as he opens his hand and holds yours in his, squeezing it while his thumb caresses the top of your hand. He tries his best to contain a shy smile when he sees your bashful gaze down out the corner of his eye but fails when he feels your body inch closer to his.

This feeling of being in your presence, the feeling of your love, and the feeling of what it is to be loved by you toys with Taemin’s mind day and night. From the moment he wakes to his dreams at night, you’re always on his mind, hoping to one day gain the courage to confess his love for you, his desire for you to be his, and for him to be yours. When his courage builds, your presence and touch cause it to tumble down again. He’s wrapped around your finger, even he can’t fool himself that he’s not.

“___?” He calls out low enough for you to hear. The feeling of your eyes on him makes a lump lodge in his throat as he tries to find a crumb of courage to cling onto.

“Yes?”

Taemin takes a deep breath, steam coming from his mouth, while his hand squeezes yours. “We’ve known each other for a couple of years now, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend. But I…I want…I mean I think…I think we,” he groans at his stammers and closes his eyes while you gaze at him with hopeful eyes. “What I’m trying to say is that every second I spend with you, I realize I’m falling in love with my best friend. I think about you when I wake, I dream about you, and I don’t want them to be hopeful thoughts anymore, I want it to be a reality. What I want to ask is will you be mine?”

“Yes,” you immediately say, prompting Taemin to quickly open his eyes and look at you. “I don’t need to think about it. I want to be yours.”

Taemin’s face transforms from surprise to relief. He widely smiles before gently brushing your cheek with his free hand, his thumbs softly stroking it as he lovingly gazes into your eyes. Too taken back to say anything, you lean forward and place a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. The taste of peppermint makes you smile against his skin. You slowly pull away and snuggle yourself closer to his body so you can rest your head on his shoulder. The protection of his arms wrapping around you makes your stomach flip with joy.

Winter Wonderland, is indeed a place where all things wonderful happen. Since you were young, you’ve heard countless stories of love blossoming at Winter Wonderland, but neither you nor Taemin would’ve guessed that one day you would begin writing your own love story because of this magical place.


	4. You, Me & Ice Skates (2016) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taemin suggests you go on a date to the local ice skating rink. Only problem? He can’t ice skate!

##  **2016**

Taemin’s hands desperately cling onto your arm as you guide him to the ice. Soft whimpers hum against his lips as he stops on the edge of the rubber floor. His eyes gaze behind you at the ice rink; people of all ages smile as they skate around the rink while holiday music blasts from the speakers overhead. Light projectors project shapes of snowflakes, Christmas trees, stars, and snowmen on the ice in colors of red, green, and gold while star-shaped lights hang from the ceiling above.

His face tightens as he watches a young child glide by him. “I can’t do this.”

“You can do it Tae,” you smile. “Just hold my hands and don’t let go.”

Despite worry flashing across his face, Taemin takes hold of your hands, gripping them tightly as you guide him onto the ice. His grip tightens when he wobbles on the ice. His cheeks begin to turn a pinkish hue when you wrap your arms around his body to hold him up until he gets his footing. The scent of warm hot chocolate lingers on his jacket while the scent of candy cane tickles your nose.

“The trick,” you begin, guiding Taemin to the nearest wall, “is to have even pressure on both feet and just move them like this.”

Taemin’s eyes closely watch your feet before he attempts to copy your moves. One hand tightly holds onto the top of the half-wall as he, shakily, moves forward. A triumphant smile spreads across his face as he skates towards you with his body stiff and arms stretched in front of him.

“You’re doing it, Tae!” You exclaim. You open your arms and encourage Taemin to keep going as you slowly skate backward.

“I got it, I got it, I -” Taemin’s words fall short as he begins to uncontrollably wobble. Unable to get his footing, he falls on his back, his feet flying in the air. 

As his body lands on the ice with a thud, his face winces at the quick pain.  
Your hands clamp around your mouth as you gasp. You hurry to Taemin’s side and kneel beside him. You place a careful hand on his chest that rises and falls as he tries to catch his breath.

“Are you okay?”

Taemin nods and manages to whisper a “yes”.

A moment goes by before you burst into laughter. You lean forward until your forehead is pressed against his chest, hiding your face with his scarf. Taemin’s hand rests against your back as he takes a deep enough breath to laugh along with you. His laughter rumbles in his chest and vibrates against your face; his melodious laughter makes you snuggle closer to his chest before leaning up.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” You ask, gently helping him sit up. Your fingers push his bangs to the side.

“I think I need a hot chocolate,” he groans. He grabs hold of your hands and shakily rises to his feet. “I hate ice skating.”

“But you’re the one who wanted to ice skate!”

Taemin flashes a smile with a wink. “Only because you enjoy it so much.”

His kind gesture makes you look down before looking back up at him. His kind eyes warmly gaze down at you while the tip of his nose turns a pinkish hue. The tip of his tongue pokes out to moisten his lips while his body inches closer to yours. Your fingers intertwine with his, sending a swarm of butterflies in your stomach. The warmth of his body wraps around you as he pulls you closer until your lips meet.

The taste of peppermint on his soft lips intoxicates you. Your lips slowly move against his, savoring each time your lips meet. The moment your arms wrap around his shoulders, you feel yourself fall forward until you land on Taemin’s chest. Stunned, you look down at Taemin with worried eyes and find him laughing to himself. Shaking your head, you try to suppress your chuckle and lean up enough for Taemin to comfortably breathe.

“Okay,” you chuckle with your hand on your chest. “Let’s really get you off the ice.”


	5. Mistletoe Kisses (2017) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escaping the eyes of your peers, Taemin pulls you outside where he presents an early Christmas present under a mistletoe.

##  **2017**

Loud chatter bounces off of the walls as everyone competes to be heard over each other. Your eyes squint in frustration while you look at Taemin, who’s standing in front of you, trying his best to be heard over the crowd by talking loudly and slow enough for you to read his lips. It takes your confused facial expression and a shake of your head for Taemin to gently grab hold of your hand and guide you to the backyard where a flurry of snow gracefully descends to the ground and a bonfire slowly dies down. Closing the door behind you, the loud chatter becomes muffled as Taemin turns towards you and gives you a triumphant smile.

“I was trying to say I got you an early Christmas present.”

Taemin reaches into his jacket pocket and brings out a small gold box. He shyly smiles before handing it to you. His eyes carefully watch as you slowly open the box and display a wide smile. Inside lies a silver oval-shaped locket with ruby holly berries and emerald leaves on the front.

“It’s a locket!” You exclaim while happily bouncing. “Will you put it on for me?”

Nodding, Taemin cautiously removes the locket from the box. He stands behind you and slowly places the necklace around your neck, securing it before you turn to face him once more.

“Look inside.” He encourages and a nervous chuckle.

You excitedly open the locket and see the picture of you, Taemin, and your pirate snowman from the snowman making competition. Your fingertips gently brush over your smiling faces. A soft smile appears as you remember the night you first met Taemin; his childish and bubbly ways pulled you closer to him. To this day, nothing has changed his childlike ways.

You excitedly look towards Taemin but find that his eyes are fixated on something just above you. Your eyes follow Taemin’s gaze above you and see a mistletoe wrapped in a red ribbon to form a bow hovering just above your head. Briefly, you hold your breath as you register what you’re seeing. Your eyebrows furrow in confusion while you keep your gaze on the item above, despite feeling the warmth of Taemin’s loving eyes caressing your face.

Snow gently crunches under Taemin’s steps as he moves closer to you. The warmth of his body wraps around yours, the smell of the woodsy cologne on his clothes intoxicates you and demands your attention. You avert your eyes to Taemin, who’s standing close enough for you to see the flickering of the bonfire within his eyes and the small snowflakes that briefly land on his hair before melting away. His eyes lovingly take in your features before gazing into your eyes. Under his gaze, your cheeks grow warm as you try to contain the smile that’s trying to spread across your face.

Slowly, Taemin brings his hand to the side of your face. His cool fingertips feel soothing against your skin as they softly brush against your cheeks before he rests his palm against your cheek with his thumb slowly stroking your skin. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispers.

The smell of peppermint grows more profound as Taemin closes the gap between you and him. Your eyes flutter shut as you lean in to meet him halfway. The taste of the peppermint on Taemin’s lips enters your mouth as your lips press together. Your palms press against his chest. The feeling of his beating heart against your palms makes you smile against his lips. Slyly, he rests his free hand on your lower back, pulling you closer to him. The feeling of your smile makes him bashfully chuckle in the kiss.

With your head tilting to the side, your kiss grows deeper. Taemin’s lips gently glide against yours while your fingers grip the soft fabric of his scarf. Equally, your passion-filled kiss breathes life into each other’s lungs, filling them with love.

  
“___! Taemin! We’re -” A booming voice begins before stopping short of completing its thought.

Startled, you and Taemin quickly pull away to see Jongil with a glass of spiked eggnog. His slightly shocked expression transforms into a mischievous smile as he points back and forth from you to Taemin. “Was I interrupting something here?”

“Kind of.” Taemin sighs, the steam of his breath comes out in a blast.

“Well, Clara will ab-so-lutely devour me if I didn’t find you two and tell you to get yourselves in here so we can do secret Santa.”

“We’ll be there in a minute.” You smile and hold up a finger. Jongil lazily brings his hand up and salutes you before disappearing inside. Turning back to Taemin, you give him a cheeky smile to which he laughs at. “I love you, Lee Taemin.”

A moment passes before Taemin’s eyes widen at the realization of your words. He breathes a small sigh of relief before giving you a gentle smile. Slowly, he leans forward until his forehead softly rests against yours.

“I love you too, ___.”


	6. A Christmas Proposal (2018) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a quiet night of helping Taemin decorate his Christmas tree, he ceases the moment to reveal his love for you through fond memories and proposing with his grandmother’s ring.

##  **2018**

Snow softly falls over the town, blanketing every surface with white powder. The clear night sky showcases a show of dancing stars, twinkling around the main character of the moon. Against the black canvas, they shine brightly as they put on an unforgettable performance before they leave the stage to make room for the sun.

The town, quiet yet full of life, resembles a holiday town you only see in the movies. Yards of garland, multi-colored lights, and thousands of Christmas decorations hang from every building while holiday music waltzes from overhead speakers.

As the early morning hours approach, the town rests peacefully except for you and Taemin, who is gathered around a brightly lit Christmas tree with unopened boxes in front of you.

“I can’t believe I’m actually getting my tree up before Christmas this year,” Taemin says while going through a box of ornaments.

“You did volunteer to host our secret Santa this year. You know Clara would have a fit if you didn’t have a tree up.”

The sound of Taemin’s nervous chuckle grabs your attention. Your eyes squint in his direction as you watch him silently mouth something to himself, his eyes darting from one corner of the box to the other as he taps his fingers against its side. He pauses for a moment when he feels your gaze firmly pressing into his flesh.

Looking up, Taemin gives you a small smile. “I thought I lost something,” he says while rubbing the back of his neck. “I found it.”

Digging into the box, he pulls out the candy cane ornament. A smile grows on your face as its stripes of red glitter shimmers against the tree’s lights. Standing to his feet, Taemin helps you to your feet before tightly holding your hand as he places the ornament near the top of the tree. Against the forest green of the tree, the ornament’s colors boldly stand out.

“Somehow,” Taemin begins, his eyes never leaving the ornament. “I knew you were the one when we first met.”

“How?”

Taemin pauses, silently mumbling to himself before smiling. Slowly, he turns to you as his thumb caresses the top of your hand.

“When you found the crooked carrot in the basket at the snowman making competition.”

You take a moment to allow the memory to dance its way back into your mind. The sweet nostalgia attached to it brings a sense of warmth as you give him a warm gentle smile.

“Your grandmother told you the story of the carrot,” you remember.

Taemin gulps nervously and nods. “She also told me that if she passes, I could give her ring to the girl I want to marry.”

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion before it melts into surprise as Taemin slowly drops to one knee. The Christmas lights make the tears welling in his eyes resemble jewels.

“For 6 years, you’ve been the one I dreamt of. The one I think about day and night. And I don’t want to spend another Christmas not being your husband.” Taemin pauses for a second, choking back his tears while one manages to slip away and slide down your cheek. “I don’t want to spend another year dreaming of marrying you. I want you. I need you. I love you. I love you, ___. I guess that’s a lot to say, will you marry me, ___?”

Tears flow down your face as you squeeze your fingers around Taemin’s hand. “Yes. Yes! A million times, yes!”

A wide smile spreads across Taemin’s face as he slips his grandmother’s vintage emerald ring on your finger. The gold band and emerald stone comfortably rest around your finger glisten under the tree’s lights.

Immediately after slipping the ring on your finger, Taemin wraps his arms around your waist and picks you up, spinning you around before placing you softly back on the ground. Your laughter overfills his heart with joy as he leans down and presses a quick, yet passionate kiss on your lips. Gently, he rests his forehead against yours before slowly breaking the kiss and giving you a bashful smile.

“Merry Christmas, my love.”


	7. A Christmas Wedding (2019) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After 6 years together, you and Taemin tie the knot in a small intimate ceremony and enjoy a steamy evening together.

##  **2019**

The sound of light piano music is muffled behind the closed doors in front of you. Your hands tightly grip your bouquet of Baby’s Breath flowers, their floral scent soothes your nerves as you take deep breaths to slow your pounding heart. Your eyes catch a glance of yourself in the mirror; your long-sleeve white lace wedding dress comfortably hugs your body, the intricate lace design resembles flowers; among your white dress, and flowers, the emerald ring on your finger shines brightly as it twinkles in the sunlight that’s seeping through the window behind you. A soft call of your name makes you turn around where you see Jongil, gazing at you with teary eyes and a gentle smile.

“You look gorgeous,” he says, his voice quivering. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

“Aren’t I the only one you’ve seen?”

He lightly chuckles and nods. “Even if I see 100 brides, you’ll always be the most beautiful. Except for my future wife, but that’s a different story. It’s your day,” he reaches out to link his arm with yours. He takes a moment, deeply breathing out before turning to you. “Ready?”

You nod while trying your best to smile, though a swarm of butterflies releases their nervousness in your stomach. “I’m ready.”

With your hand squeezing around Jongil’s arm, he reaches forward and gives a gentle knock on the door. The sight of the door opening disperses the butterflies in your stomach as your eyes lock with Taemin’s. He stands at the altar sporting a fitted black suit with a deep red tie; his jet black hair is parted to the side and softly swept back to reveal his face, a strand of hair frames his face until he pushes it back. His eyes take in your beauty as Jongil leads you down the aisle.

The once muffled sound of the piano now sounds clear; its sweet melody acting as the transition song as you walk towards the next chapter of your life. Jongil’s whispers are inaudible as you block out the world and focus on Taemin. The softness of his relaxed face, the gentleness of his sweet smile, and the warmth of his eyes engulf you in a blanket of love and protection as you reach the altar. Your cheeks grow warm when you’re close enough to read his lips as he mouths ‘beautiful’.

Letting go of Jongil’s arm, you take Taemin’s hand as he guides you beside him. His touch brings tears to your eyes as you realize your future, which once seemed so far away, is now at your side. Gently, he taps your shoulder and gestures to Clara and Jongil, who are holding framed pictures of your late father and his late grandmother. The sight of your father makes you cling tighter onto Taemin as tears roll down your face.

“They’re always here with us in spirit,” he whispers before gently kissing the side of your head. “And I know they wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

The comfort of Taemin’s words brings a smile to your face as you find yourself smiling at the picture of your father. In your heart, you know that he would’ve loved Taemin and would walk you down the aisle if it’s the last thing he did. Until you meet again, you feel at peace knowing he’s watching over you and proudly smiling at his little girl.

While the minister opens the ceremony with beautiful words, your hand tightly grips Taemin’s as you blink back tears. At the gentle stroke of his thumb over the top of your hand, the tears you’ve been holding back gracefully fall down your face. The overwhelming pressure of love in your chest threatens to explode as you and Taemin turn to face one another, both surprised to see the trail of tears down each other’s face.

Taemin gives a nervous chuckle as he reaches into his suit’s pocket to bring out a neatly folded piece of paper. Slowly opening it, he clears his throat and gives you a gentle smile. “___. My love. Our love story began six years ago in a winter wonderland, two strangers brought together by snowmen and hot chocolate. With you in my life, it’s hard to imagine how I’ve managed to get by without you. And now that I’ve found you, now that I have you, I won’t let you go. Before you, I hated the winter, the cold and lonely nights. But now, winter has a new meaning to me; love. The cold and lonely nights I cursed were replaced with warmth and love as you’ve stuck by my side.” He pauses for a moment, a tear sliding down his cheek as he takes a deep breath. “I can never show you grateful I am to have you or thank you enough for coming into my life, but I can try by being the husband you deserve, your partner, protector, and outlet of love. I love you, ___. And I can’t wait to be your husband.”

Taemin brings your hand to his lips, kissing them softly while you choke back tears. Through your blurry vision, you reach in the center of your bouquet and carefully unroll a sheet of paper. With a blink, your vision is cleared as the tears slide down your face.

“Taemin,” you begin with a smile. His eyes gently urge you to continue as he reaches forward to pat your tears away. “I consider you a gift from above. When you came into my life, a gray cloud was hovering over my head, but you turned my gray skies clear, embracing me with love and words of affirmation. When I look back at us, I remember the story your grandmother told you of the crooked carrot, and she was right. I found true love and I found it in you. With each breath I take, I’m so thankful for you and that our paths, out of millions, crossed at the right time. Now that I have you, I refuse to imagine what my life would have been like without you. To have someone that loves me as deeply as you do is impossible to find because there’s only one person that can do that, and it’s you. As long as I have air in my lungs, I will be your wife, your friend, and your home. I love you, Lee Taemin.”

Bashfully, you and Taemin exchange your written vows, your hands holding the papers tightly before tucking them away. Impatience runs its course in you the longer you stare into his eyes; you desperately want to press your lips against his, but the presence of Clara by your side interrupts your thought as she gently takes the bouquet from your hands and hands you the ring. You give her an apologetic smile before returning your attention to Taemin. Your bodies inch closer together as you place the rings on each other’s fingers and exchange ‘I Dos’. 

“By the power invested in me,” the minister exclaims with a bright smile. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!”

Taemin’s fingers gently cradle your face, slightly tilting it upwards as his thumbs softly caress the apples of your cheeks. Leaning up, you close the gap between him and you until you feel his lips press against yours. The warmth of passion and taste of peppermint on his lips make you smile against his lips. The realization of you becoming one causes a tear to slide down your face. Slowly, you pull away and rest your foreheads against each other’s, speaking so softly that your voices were inaudible to those around you.

“I love you, Mrs. Lee.”

“And I love you, Mr. Lee.”

* * *

The fireplace crackles and pops as its flames warm the room and illuminate it with hues of gold. The harsh wind blows snow past the window where its corners are decorated with frost. The aroma of s'mores fills the room as you and Taemin devour the graham cracker treats; the gooey chocolate and marshmallow smear on your fingers and faces.

Taemin playfully licks the spot of chocolate from the side of your mouth and delightfully hums at its sweetness. The feather-like glides of his tongue tickle you as you try to pull away from his body, but his arms wrap around and hold onto you tighter. His child-like laugh draws you closer as you give in and allow yourself to be pulled closer. The feeling of his breath against your neck sends tingles throughout your body, making your back slightly arched.

Your laughter transforms into gentle moans you try to disguise as hums. Your body relaxes into Taemin’s chest as his luscious lips tenderly kiss down your neck, his lips branding you with warmth with each kiss. The sensual sensation causes your chest to shudder as you take a shaky breath.

Taemin pulls you into his lap where his arms firmly wrap around your waist. While his lips dance across your skin, you bring your hand up to his hair, your fingers gently gripping it just as he pulls away as an act of disappointment. His eyes scan the trail on your neck where his lips once were and gently blows on it, causing shivers to cascade down your spine. His lips twitch into a conceited smirk as he catches the fire’s reflection in his trail of wet kisses.

You get lost in the heat of the moment. You slowly guide Taemin’s index and middle fingers into your mouth. Your lips gently wrap around them. The sweet residue of melted chocolate and marshmallow makes your mouth water as your tongue circles each finger, pressing them against the middle of your tongue where you begin to teasingly suck on them. 

  
A moan presses against Taemin’s lips, begging to be let out. He bites his lower lip to suppress its power as he watches his fingers disappear and reappear in your mouth; the thought of your lips wrapped around his cock as you gaze seductively, tauntingly into his eyes gives his moan strength to push past his lips. Taemin’s quiet moan makes you yearn for more. With a “pop”, you slowly remove his fingers from your mouth. They shine under the firelight.

Your body turns until you straddle his lap as your chest presses against his. Your fingertips softly push back his fallen bangs; your eyes lovingly take in the features of his face while you begin to slowly grind yourself against his pelvis. The friction of his growing member causes a quick moan to slip past your lips as you grind down harder. The euphoric pleasure of the texture of Taemin’s pajama bottoms rubbing against your clit teases your sexual hunger. Your hands clasp behind his neck as you inaudibly moan his name.

Taemin’s lips slightly part to allow a whimper to escape. His cool fingertips lightly brush your skin before finding purchase on your hips, squeezing them to halt your rocking. The feeling of his hand sneakily traveling up your red silk nightgown with white faux fur trim sends shivers back down your spine. His hands make a note of the feel of your legs as they travel up your thigh until his palms rest against his ass.

“No underwear?” He teasingly raises a brow, his fingers kneading into your skin.

You lean forward enough for your lips to brush against his ear. “And I’m wet too.” Your low whisper makes Taemin’s body tense. “Don’t you want to be inside me, Tae? To feel my warm wet walls clench around your cock until your cum fills me up?”

Your vivid description causes Taemin to lewdly groan as he uses his free hand to reach down his pants and brings out his cock, slowly pumping himself to the imagination of making love to you. His eyes gaze up at you half-open as precum coats his tip.

“Wouldn’t this feel better?”

Before Taemin can comprehend your question, you slightly lift your hips and reach down to gently take his cock into your control. You slowly brush it between your wet folds, from your aroused clit to your entrance before easing yourself down his length. You collectively gasp when he fills your walls.

For a moment, you remain still and lean forward until your lips softly press against his. The sweet taste of his lips makes you move yours with fervor as his tongue smoothly welcomes itself into your mouth. Your arms wrap around his neck as you tilt your head to deepen the kiss. 

Taemin gasps against your lips when you begin to slowly bounce on his length. Your brows furrow in pleasure as your pace slightly quickens. Like tennis, you and Taemin exchange moans when his hands grip your waist and guide your hips back and forth. 

Taemin’s lips latch onto the side of your neck as inaudible moans of his name drips from your lips. The lewd sound of your wetness makes his cock twitch in the comfort of your walls. With his head leaning back, his exposed Adam’s apple bobs with each breathless moan. Leaning forward, you create a trail of wet kisses up the middle of his throat, your teeth softly grazing his skin.

Wrapping his arms around your waist, Taemin carefully lays back until his back is pressed against the warm floor. Leisurely, he thrusts upward, pulling out enough until his tip remains in before ramming back into your walls. Your breath rattles in your chest with each thrust while his thrusts spread your wetness along the top of the inside of your thighs.

The firelight coats Taemin’s skin in gold while his cheeks flush pink. His skin glistens with a thin layer of perspiration that gives it a dewy glow. Your name tastes as sweet as honey on his tongue as it passes his slightly parted puffy lips. Over and over he chants your name and declares his love for you through breathless whispers.

The immense feeling of pleasure washes over your body. Reaching up to help you, you remove your nightgown and toss it to the side. Taemin’s eyes immediately fall to your breasts that bounce each time he rams into you. He extends his neck upward and wraps his lips around your hardened nipple while his hands spread your asscheeks, occasionally slapping each side. Your hisses blend into moans, making it difficult to distinguish the two.

Your palms rest comfortably on his pecs to steady yourself from Taemin’s quickened and increasingly aggressive thrusts. The rapid rise and fall of his chests hint that he’s nearing his end. Your eyes close when his tip repeatedly rubs against your sweet spot. Your fingernails gently graze his skin, digging deeper with each thrust. Repeated pleads for Taemin to coat your walls with his cum fall from your lips, encouraging him to fall over his edge.

Taemin’s arms wrap around your upper body and press you to his chest while he mercilessly pounds into you. The lewd sounds of your wetness, whimpers, and Taemin’s balls slapping against your ass overtakes the crackle of the fireplace as they bounce off the walls.

Your lips aggressively press against Taemin’s as a fiery knot ties in your core. Together, you exchange yelps of each other’s names. You manage to slide your hand between you and Taemin’s bodies and quickly rub your swollen clit. The mixture of pleasure makes your body jerk as your walls clench tighter around his cock. Your quiet pants turn into an exclamation of his name as a flash of white flashes before your eyes, your body stiffening as your hips buckle.

The tired smile on your face contorts back into one of pleasure as Taemin’s thrusts become arrhythmic. Within a few more thrusts, he loudly grunts your name as his cum spurts inside you, painting your walls with his seed.

The sounds of pleasure that once occupied the room are replaced with the breathless pants of you and Taemin; your chests rapidly rising and falling as your skin sticks to one another. He peppers your shoulder and crook of your neck with soft kisses while he whispers beautiful words of affection against your skin. His somnolent heartbeat lulls you to drowsiness as you take long blinks, trying to keep yourself awake while Taemin’s fingertips soothingly trace shapes on your back.

“I love you,” you mumble as your heavy eyes slowly close.

The feeling of your light breaths makes Taemin quietly chuckle as he wraps his arms around your body.

Gently, he presses a kiss on the side of your head and whispers, “I love you too, my dear.”


	8. Baby's First Christmas (2020) ❄

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taemin celebrate your first Christmas together as a married couple with your new son, Taehwan.

##  **2020**

The rising sun seeps its rays through the opening of your blinds, hitting your face until you begin to stir. The rays blanket your face with warmth as your eyes flutter open. A hint of annoyance at the sun rattles inside of you as you turn to your side. The world around you comes into focus as you rub your eyes with your palms while a yawn silently escapes your mouth.

With a blink, you’re met with Taemin’s soft gaze. The sun paints his skin golden, accentuating the pinkish hues of his lips and cheeks, while his eyes appear lighter in color. His unkempt hair is tousled on his head with pieces sticking out in multiple directions. He softly smiles at you before looking towards his chest.

Your eyes look lovingly at your son, Taehwan, fast asleep on Taemin’s chest as it softly rises and falls. Taehwan’s cheek, smushed against his father’s chest, props his mouth open slightly. His small fingers grip onto Taemin’s shirt while Taemin gently rubs soft circles on his back.

“Good morning,” you whisper before leaning over to press a kiss on Taemin’s cheek. “And good morning to you, Siren.” You press a gentle kiss on Taehwan’s cheek that causes him to softly smile in his sleep, exposing his dimple.

“He’s been asleep for half an hour,” Taemin whispers while smiling down at your son before looking back at you. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Tae.” You yawn while stretching your arms overhead. “I got you a present.”

Excitement paints Taemin’s face as you reach into the drawer of your nightstand. A navy leather case enters his view. A wide smile spreads across his face as you open the case to reveal a navy leather hybrid smartwatch that he’s been secretly looking at for the past year. Careful not to disturb Taehwan, you place the watch on Taemin’s wrist. Taemin twists his wrist, admiring the precious gift and taking note of the way the silver glistens off the sun’s rays. He whispers a “Thank you, baby” against your lips as he kisses you.

“I have something for you too. Actually,” Taemin gestures to Taehwan. “We have something for you. Check under the bed.”

Leaning over the edge of the bed, you spot a red bow and reach under the bed to bring a large box on top of the bed. The plain box excites you as you slowly open the lid to reveal a winter-themed scrapbook dressed in various hues of blue and various sizes of silver snowflakes with a photo of you, Taemin, and Taehwan on the front. Large silver letters spell the words “The Lee Family” in a decorative font. Your fingertips gently caress the faces of the picture before you open the book where you’re greeted with the first picture you and Taemin took together with your pirate snowman.

Page after page, more tears gather in your eyes as you relive each memory you’ve made with Taemin from your first meeting in 2013 to now. Each page is uniquely decorated and put together with pictures and love notes. Unable to contain your tears any longer, you allow your tears to fall with the overwhelming feeling of love displayed before you. Leaning over, you slowly press your lips against Taemin’s, your tears falling against his face.

“You got your tears on me,” he softly laughs before you wipe them away with the sleeve of your shirt.

“I love it, Tae. Words can’t explain how much I love you and Siren,” you smile while looking at your son whose eyes look between you and Taemin. “Let’s take a picture. Our first Christmas as a family.”

Grabbing your phone, you press yourself close to Taemin’s body, feeling his warmth and smelling the light smell of baby powder under Taehwan’s neck.

Naturally, you and Taemin lean your heads close to one another and smile before taking the picture.

“I can’t wait to add this to the scrapbook,” you wiggle with happiness before setting your phone to the side.

Taemin chuckles at your dance before gazing down at Taehwan. “We didn’t forget about you buddy.”

“That’s right,” you nod with a wide smile. “Mommy and daddy got you something special.”

Taking Taehwan into your arms, Taemin reaches into his nightstand and pulls out a small teddy bear dressed in a polka dot bowtie. “This was mine when I was younger,” he softly explains to Taehwan, who reaches forward for the bear. “And now, it’s yours.”

Taemin gently places the bear in Taehwan’s arms. He watches his son with loving eyes as Taehwan places the bear’s ear in his mouth and tries to have a good grip on the bear. His laughter brings a smile to your and Taemin’s face as you watch your son cuddle his new toy. A few moments pass before you and Taemin lock eyes with one another. Like when you were younger, a swarm of butterflies enter your stomach and make you turn your head as your cheeks grow warm. With his curled index finger softly under your chin, he guides your head to face him once more before leaning in and pressing a sweet kiss on your forehead.

“I love you,” he whispers, his eyes taking in the features of your face while softly smiling at you.

A sweet soft chuckle hums against your lips before you lean forward and press your forehead against his. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the "A Christmas Love Story" series. It is my hope that you enjoyed this cute little series as you watched your relationship with Taemin unfold and I sincerely hope you have a great rest of your holidays!


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